May 6, 2026 — German police carried out nationwide searches targeting members of two far-right youth organizations, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s office said Wednesday. Homes of 36 suspected members of Deutsche Jugend Voran (DJV) and Jung und Stark (JS) were searched as part of an investigation into the formation of a criminal organization.
More than 600 officers searched roughly 50 locations across 12 federal states. The suspects are predominantly youth and young adults; investigators say some are already known for violent behavior. Prosecutors allege that groups of suspects attacked members of the left-wing scene and people they believed to be pedophiles, with victims beaten by several attackers and sustaining significant injuries.
Authorities say DJV and JS emerged in mid-2024 alongside other regionally and nationally organized far-right youth groups and have been on the security services’ radar since. Each group is estimated to have several hundred members; DJV is largely concentrated in Berlin and Brandenburg and has been accused of organizing disruptive actions at Christopher Street Day events.
No arrests were planned at the time of the searches, which prosecutors described as aiming to clarify the existing grounds for suspicion. The nationwide operation was intended to gather evidence and determine whether the organizations meet the legal threshold for being classified and prosecuted as criminal organizations.
